Material storage and handling system



R. H. BEAUMONT March 29,1927. 1,622,566

- MATERIAL STORAGE AND HANDLING SYSTEM Filed April 22, 1925 WITNESSESQ vtH 'IIVENTOR: t B01061 eaumorv, 6 BY flaw/K a 21/1 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

U N I TED S T A T E S P A OFF p ROBERT E. BEAUMONT, OF RADNOR,PENNSYLVANIA, A SSIGNOR Tt) R. BEAUMONT 00.,QF.PHILADELPHIA,.PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATIONOF PENNSYLVANIA.

MATERIAL STORAGE AN HANDLING SYSTEM.

Application filed April 22, 1925.

This invention relates to systems for storing and subsequently handlingcoal. gravel, sand and other granular or pulverulent materialsmoreparticularly systems wherein bunkers of the suspension type are employedas the storage hoppers. Such bunkers, by reason of being constructed offlexible sheet metal and supported wholly in suspension, yield todistortionboth vertically and laterallydirectly in proportion tovariations in contents or load. As a consequence, the bottomdischarge-directing outlets (which in accordance with customary practiceheretofore were bolted di rectly to the bunker shells) would becorrespondingly shifted and their closure gates disaligned relative tothe mechanism provided for actuating them.

My present invention is concerned with overcoming the ditliculty abovepointed out, and directed to improvements to that end.

The drawing herewith shows a cross sectional view of a material storageand handling system for a power plant conveniently illustrating myinvention.

The coal storage bunker herein comprehensively designated 1, has itssheet metal shell hung in suspension from the top of a frame work 2comprising spaced verticals 3 as well as horizontals 4, all ofstructural shapes appropriately braced after standard engineeringpractice.

Beneath the bunker 1 is shown a larry 5 capable of receiving thematerial in its hopper 6 and transferring the same, through selection asbetween the delivery chutes 7, 7 to the stokers 8 of boilers alignedalong opposite sides of the frame structure 2; The wheels 9 of the larry5 run on rails 10 which extend longitudinally of the bunker 1. and aresupported by suitable struts 11 dropped from the cross beams 4. Inaddition to the usual driving means and controlling gear, which need notbe specifically referred to herein, the larry 5 is equipped withmechanism for operating the pivoted controlling gate 12 of the outlet 13through which the bunker 1 is discharged.

The gate operating mechanism, just referred to, includes a hand wheel llthat is convenient of access to the operators seat 15 in the larry 5,the movements of said hand wheel being transmitted by a sprocket chainor cable 16 to an overhead rock shaft 17. On this shaft 17 is secured ahooked Serial No. 25,012.

finger 18 adapted to engage and draw upon the projecting actuating link19 of the control gate 12 to shift the latter to open position in amanner obvious from the illustration.

For reliable operation of the gate 12 the link 19 should, obviously,always be in position for ready cooperation with the hooked finger 18 ofthe operating mechanism on the larry 5; but with the control gate anddischarge outlet directly secured to the bunker shell as heretofore, theactuating link was often so much displaced through distortion of thebunker under varying or unevenly distributed loads, as to be quite outof reach of the hooked finger aforesaid. This cont-ingency I prevent inaccordance with my invention, by independently supporting the dischargeoutlet 13 and gate 12 rigidly so that the alignment between the'link 19and the operating finger 18 is always positively and accuratelymaintained. Accordingly, I secure in spaced parallel relation betweencertain of the transverse beams 1 of the frame structure 2, a pair ofchannel pieces 20, and aflix the outlet 13 to said channel piecesthereby forming a sort of pocket 21 which, as shown, is amplyproportioned to receive the outflow'through the flanged opening 22 inthe bottom of the bunker 1 notwithstanding positional changes due to thein fluences previously noted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In material handling systems, the combination of a suspension bunkerwith an outlet, and a separate auxiliary outlet for directing gravitydischarge from the bunker, said outlet being independently supported forsecurity against positional displacement incidental to distortions ofthe bunker under varying or unevenly-distributed loads.

2. In material handling systems, the combination of a suspension bunkerwith an outlet. and a closure gate with mechanism to operate it incontrolling discharge from the bunker, said closure gate beingindependently supported by an auxiliary outlet for security againstdisplacement relative to its operating mechanism incidental todistortions ofthe bunker under varying or unevenly-distributed loads.

3. In. material handling systems, the combination of a suspension bunkerwith an outlet, an independently-supported auxiliary outlet, a larryshift-able beneath the bunker, a closure gate for controlling dischargefrom the bunker through the auxiliary outlet into the larry, said gatebeing supported by the auxiliary outlet, and mechanism on the larry foroperating said gate with security against disalignment incidental. todistortions of the hopper under varying or unevenly-distributed loads.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this 15th day of April, 1925.

ROBERT H. BEAUMONT.

